By January 17, 2026
Photo: Michael Conroy / AP
Since June 2023, when new Hornets ownership came into place, Charlotte has been one of the most active teams in the trade market. Today, only three players remain from that era: LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Miles Bridges.
Despite making at least two trades at each of the past two trade deadlines, the Hornets are unlikely to be as active this year. That said, we’ll break down which players might be available for the right offer.
A Young Core Forming
Charlotte’s rebuild has produced a core of young players on rookie contracts who are essentially untouchable. There are at least six players (Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, Liam McNeeley, Sion James, Ryan Kalkbrenner, Tidjane Salaun) likely unavailable for trades, compared with just three a year ago.
Simply put, the more promising young players a team has, the fewer players on the roster they are willing to move, which naturally reduces the likelihood of making trades.
Tricky Trading Rules
The NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement, agreed to in July 2023, has phased in several rules affecting trades. You don’t need to know every detail, but these changes limit teams in areas such as aggregating multiple players in trades, matching salaries, and using exceptions.This has contributed to a cold trade environment, with many potential partners limited, which complicates deal-making.
Player Fits
As the trade deadline approaches, we have a clearer picture of which players are currently on the NBA trade block, as outlined below.
Guards: Ja Morant ($34 million), Zach LaVine ($43 million), Anfernee Simons ($24 million), Coby White ($11 million), Malik Monk ($10 million), Cam Thomas ($4 million), Jaden Ivey ($8 million), Devin Carter ($6 million)
Wings: DeMar DeRozan ($28 million), Michael Porter Jr. ($35 million), Bogdan Bogdanović ($19 million), Terance Mann ($10 million), Grayson Allen ($17 million), Caleb Martin ($7 million), Ochai Agbaji ($4 million), Jett Howard ($5 million)
Forwards: Anthony Davis ($43 million), Jonathan Kuminga ($7 million), Patrick Williams ($10 million)
Centers: Daniel Gafford ($14 million), Nick Richards ($5 million), Zeke Nnaji ($9 million)
Each is on the market, but every option carries drawbacks — age, injuries, overlapping positions, style of play, or hefty contracts. Charlotte’s starting core currently looks like this: Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller on the wings (secure for the next four years), LaMelo Ball penciled in, and the frontcourt open for improvements. This trio is talented offensively but will need defensive difference-makers in the frontcourt to compete at a playoff level. Salaun or Kalkbrenner could develop into that role, but trade options for defensive-minded frontcourt players fitting Charlotte’s timeline are limited.
Financial Flexibility
Hornets President of Basketball Operations Jeff Peterson has emphasized building for the future. This means Charlotte is unlikely to add long-term salary at this trade deadline. Instead, the team may create more flexibility by moving players like Josh Green, Grant Williams, or Miles Bridges to free $25-40 million in cap space and potentially improve draft positioning, which should be a major incentive this year.
With that context laid out, let’s look closer at who could most likely be on the move.
The GM Hangs Up Immediately
- Kon Knueppel
- Brandon Miller
Knueppel has clearly shown he’s untradable. Considering age, production, and contract, he is one of the top 25 most valuable trade pieces in the NBA. Miller has yet to consistently show his best due to injuries, but the team strongly believes in his future. Trade offers would not match his value to the Hornets, making him untouchable as well.
Politely End The Call
- Tidjane Salaun
- Liam McNeeley
- Ryan Kalkbrenner
- Sion James
Rebuilding teams rarely trade their young players, especially when they are trending positively. These players might only be included as “sweeteners” in a blockbuster deal involving LaMelo Ball or another star, rather than for a future first-round pick. Otherwise, they are considered off-limits.
Deny This Conversation Ever Happened
- LaMelo Ball
- Moussa Diabate
- Grant Williams
Ball has shown real growth as a playmaker and leader, leaning into a more team-oriented style, and he pushed back strongly against trade rumors earlier in the season. Still, his overall rate of improvement has not accelerated as much as many hoped, likely due in part to extended time missed because of injury. His defensive impact remains a concern, and durability continues to loom over any long-term projection.
For now, the Hornets are giving Ball the chance to play with a starting five alongside Miller, Knueppel, Bridges, and Diabate, and the early returns have been excellent. That lineup owns a +28.2 net rating, per Cleaning the Glass — the best of any five-man unit in the league to play at least 200 minutes.
Ball’s value off the court should also not be underestimated. He is one of the most popular players in the NBA, bringing significant business and marketing benefits to the franchise. Overall, a trade is more likely in the offseason than at the deadline, when the team will have a clearer picture of his performance alongside Miller and Knueppel, as well as a better sense of his health.
Moussa Diabaté had a wild stat line and career-high 18 in rebounds in the 126-109 win against the Wizards. A look back at his basketball journey from our January interview: https://t.co/FVOFQJU16o pic.twitter.com/yhlXxKfDp2
— CLTure® ( culture ) (@CLTure) December 24, 2025
Moussa Diabate has quickly become a fan favorite thanks to his relentless energy. Since moving into the starting lineup in late December, he’s played the best basketball of his career and now looks set to hold that role for the remainder of the season, potentially even earning consideration as part of Charlotte’s core. However, Diabate is on a minimum contract that runs through 2027, leaving the Hornets with no avenue to extend him. That reality suggests his trade value may never be higher. If Charlotte has doubts about re-signing him long term, would they consider moving him if a truly overwhelming offer emerged?
Grant Williams recently returned after missing more than a year with an ACL injury and has performed admirably given the long layoff. His return does increase the possibility of a trade compared to when he was sidelined, but it would still come as a surprise. While Charlotte might entertain the right offer, his leadership and strong connection to the city as a native make moving him a tough sell.
Let’s talk about it
- Miles Bridges
- Tre Mann
Taking into account games played, Bridges has arguably been the Hornets’ second-best player this season, behind Knueppel. However, his $25 million salary and past off-court issues make him a difficult trade target. Charlotte needs a defensive upgrade somewhere in the frontcourt to take the next step toward being a playoff team, and Bridges could be the sacrificial piece. That said, he may currently be more valuable to Charlotte than to other teams, which is why he sits in this category rather than the one below.
Mann has struggled this season, falling out of the rotation, and is generally viewed as a negative trade asset. That said, there could still be a role for him if Collin Sexton moves on. At the same time, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Hornets decided to take a mulligan on re-signing him and move on.
Make Your Best Offer
- Collin Sexton
- Josh Green
Both could contribute to a playoff team as bench pieces. Sexton is the superior player and is on an expiring contract, but his $18.9 million salary complicates the search for a trade partner. With a re-signing in Charlotte unlikely this summer, moving him could return either a rotation player or draft compensation. For that reason, he stands out as the single most likely player to be traded before February’s deadline. On a human level, such a move would also give him a chance to snap his streak of never making a playoff appearance.
Green fits the classic 3-and-D archetype and carries a $13.6 million salary. He could be traded directly into the $14.1 million mid-level exception, a tool several teams have available, including Charlotte, which could leverage the same mechanism to absorb or offload salary without taking money back. A playoff team might be willing to attach a second-round pick to take on Green’s contract. While that return would carry limited draft value for Charlotte, it could open a pathway to roughly $28 million in cap space this summer. That advantage is somewhat muted, however, with as many as six other teams already projected to hold more than $35 million in cap room.
Trade or Cut
- Pat Connaughton
- Mason Plumlee
Connaughton is a more likely trade candidate due to his $9.4 million expiring contract, which could be used to match salaries. His value as a trade chip was likely part of the reasoning behind keeping him over Spencer Dinwiddie before the start of the season.
Plumlee could be waived or moved to open up a roster spot, especially with P.J. Hall emerging and injuries limiting his playing time.
The NBA trade deadline is on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at 3 p.m. EST.
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